Welded rivet joints are known e.g. from the printed document DE 10 2005 006 253. They are used for connecting a component with a base component through a bolt inserted into a borehole in the component. The bolt is initially electrically welded onto a face on the surface of the base component and plastically deformed subsequently. Thus, in particular the head of the bolt is heated in the same process step and upset simultaneously. This imparts a force towards the base component which has to be supported by an opposite force in order to form the connection.
A torque transmission device including a shiftable clutch device, a hydrodynamic component and a vibration absorber in which a turbine shell of the hydrodynamic component is connected torque-proof with a damper input component forming a hot rivet or welded rivet connection is described in an exemplary manner e.g. in the printed document DE 10 2006 028 771 A1. The connection is furthermore provided through a turbine shell hub supported at a damper hub.
When the configuration of a torque-proof connection between the damper component and the turbine shell is generally provided through a hot or weld rivet method, the connection is provided through melting and plastic deformation. The arrangement of the torque-proof connection is thus provided in the radial arrangement portion of the damper hub. Therefore the force required for producing the torque-proof connection has to be reacted at the damper hub. The support of the damper hub thus required is therefore provided through adjacent components, in particular damper components or components of the supporting tools. Thus, these include a plurality of particular bolts which become effective by reaching through respective pass through openings in components adjacent to the damper hub at the face of the damper hub oriented away from the torque-proof connection. The openings in the adjacent components required for this purpose are relatively large due to the large support surface at the tool. Furthermore for a permissible relative movement between the damper hub and the adjacent component the required rotation angle has to be provided accordingly through pass through openings extending over a portion of the respective component in circumferential direction. The pass through openings are relatively large and weaken the respective components which is of particular significance when the components have a torque transfer function.
FIG. 1 illustrates the problems for a required support with reference to a detail of an axial sectional view of a prior art torque transmission device 1 when providing a torque-proof connection configured as a non-disengageable form locked weld rivet connection. The torque transmission device 1 includes at least one input which is not illustrated and configured to be coupled with a drive side component and at least one output that is configured to be coupled with an output side component. The output is formed by a transmission input shaft which is not illustrated in detail. Between the input and the output a hydrodynamic component 2 is arranged which is preferably a hydrodynamic speed-/torque converter. The torque transmission device 1 furthermore includes a shiftable clutch device 3 which is used for at least partially circumventing the force flow through the hydrodynamic component 2. It includes a first clutch component which is not illustrated herein and connected at least indirectly torque-proof, preferably directly torque-proof with the input of the torque transmission device 1 that is not illustrated and it includes at least one second clutch component 3.2 which is connected at least indirectly thus through a vibration damper 4 with the output of the torque transmission device 1. The vibration damper 4 can be provided in various configurations. It includes at least one first damper component 4.1 functioning as damper input and at least one second damper component 4.2 connected at least indirectly torque-proof with the output of the torque transmission device 1, thus coupled through a damper hub 9. The damper components 4.1 and 4.2 are arranged coaxial to one another and rotatable within limits relative to one another in circumferential direction. Depending on their configurations the damper components are coupled with one another through at least one or plural torque transmission devices 5 and/or one or plural damping coupling devices 6. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the torque transmission devices 5 and the damping coupling devices 6 are formed by the same functional components, preferably configured as spring units F1 through Fn, wherein only the spring unit Fn is illustrated herein. Thus, the particular damper components 4.1 and 4.2 can be elements of one damper stage or of different damper stages. Thus, one or plural damper stages can be arranged between the damper components, wherein the damper stages can be connected in series or in parallel. In the illustrated case only one damper component 4.1 and another damper component 4.2 are provided in an exemplary manner, wherein the damper component 4.1 forms two drive discs 7.1 and 7.2 which are arranged as lateral discs on both sides of the damper component 4.2 which is configured as a center disc 8 forming a drive flange. The center disc 8 functioning as an output flange is connected torque-proof, thus through a form lock connection configured as a welded connection with the damper hub 9.
The shiftable clutch device 3 is provided in disc configuration, preferably in a lamellar configuration. Each of the particular clutch components includes a disc support with friction surface bearing and/or friction surface forming elements arranged thereon and connected torque-proof therewith which are moveable in an axial direction. Only the lamella support 10 is illustrated herein for the second clutch component 3.2 for the torque transmission device 1. The lamella support 10 is connected torque-proof with the lateral disc functioning as a drive disc 7.1.
The hydrodynamic component 2 includes at least a bladed shell which is functioning as a pump shell and which is not illustrated herein and a bladed shell which is functioning as a turbine shell T forming an operating cavity with one another. The operating cavity is fillable with an operating means. When configured as a hydrodynamic speed-/torque converter the hydrodynamic component 2 additionally includes at least one stator shell as a reactive member which, however, is not illustrated herein either. Components of this type are used for speed- and also torque conversion. The hydrodynamic component 2 is connected at least indirectly with the output of the torque transmissions device 1 through the vibration damper 4. For this purpose the turbine shell T is connected torque-proof with the damper component 4.1 functioning as a damper input in this functional condition, thus the drive disc 7.2. The turbine shell T is attached through a turbine disc component 11 and fastening devices 12 arranged thereon, herein configured as pass through openings, and through rivets 14 at a turbine shell hub 15 and in the contact surface 16 at a damper input component, herein the drive disc 7.2, through fastening devices 17 attached thereto, herein configured as pass through openings through a torque-proof connection 18. Thus, the turbine shell hub 15 is rotatably supported about the rotation axis R at the damper hub 9. The centering of the turbine shell T is provided relative to the damper hub 9 through the turbine hub 15.
Depending on the clutch condition torque is introduced in the illustrated embodiment into the vibration damper 4 either through the damper input component 4.1 or the turbine shell T and/or through the lamella support 10 of the switchable clutch device into the drive disc 7.1.
The torque proof connection 18 between the turbine shell T and the drive disc 7.2 is configured as a welded rivet connection. This is a non-disengageable connection in which a bolt or rivet is welded with a surface on the face of a base component thus e.g. the turbine shell hub 15, and subsequently plastically deformed under form locking with the drive disc 7.2 and the turbine disc component 11. Thus, an axial force onto the entire configuration is created when producing this connection, wherein the axial force requires an opposite force. Thus, the damper hub 9 adjacent to the turbine shell hub 15 is supported in axial direction through a tool W inserted through cutouts 19 in the lateral disc 35 of a support 36 arranged adjacent to the damper hub 9. The support 36 can be provided through the lateral disc 7.1 of the damper component 4.1 or a damper component connected therewith in a multi component configuration. The cutouts 19 have to be selected in a size corresponding to the support force and they use installation space that is not useable otherwise.